Wembanyama Breaks Half-Game Record in Spurs Win
The French center scored a career-high 52 points and grabbed 24 rebounds as San Antonio defeated Dallas 112-111 on Wednesday.
By Leila Reynolds ·
The San Antonio Spurs defeated the Dallas Mavericks 112-111 on Wednesday night, a victory powered by a historic performance from Victor Wembanyama. The center recorded career highs of 52 points and 24 rebounds while also registering eight blocks.
Wembanyama’s first-half production set a new standard for the league. He finished the opening 24 minutes with 29 points, 15 rebounds, and five blocks. This marks the first time since the play-by-play era began in the 1996-1997 season that a player achieved at least 25 points, 10 rebounds, and five blocks in a single half.
The game remained tight until the final seconds. Kyrie Irving, who finished with 29 points, missed a contested 15-foot turnaround jumper with three seconds left on the clock. The miss allowed San Antonio to secure the one-point victory.
Support for Wembanyama came from the rest of the Spurs roster. Dylan Harper contributed 21 points, while Stephon Castle added 17 points and 10 rebounds. The win marked the team’s sixth consecutive victory. On the Dallas side, Naji Marshall led the scoring with 22 points, followed by P.J. Washington with 21 and Cooper Flagg with 19.
San Antonio’s defensive impact on the glass and paint was stark when Wembanyama was on the floor. The Spurs were a plus-23 on the net rating during his time on the court and minus-22 when he was subbed out. He began the game by scoring 10 of the first 12 points for San Antonio, a sequence that included two dunks and six free throws.
In the second quarter, Dallas mounted a 12-1 run while Wembanyama was off the floor, narrowing the gap to one point. Upon his return, he recorded three blocks within 13 seconds on the same possession, denying shots from Flagg and Washington before De’Aaron Fox secured a rebound with 3:38 left in the half.
